Environmental Compliance Assistance in the United States

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Environmental Compliance Assistance in the
United States

• Catherine McCabe
• Deputy Assistant Administrator
• Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assurance
• U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
• December 2007

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Topics

• Overview of Compliance Assistance in the U.S.
• Key Facts about Compliance Assistance Centers
• History of the Centers Program
• Center Management Staffing, Funding
• Features
• Center Models
• Lessons Learned/ Results
• Compliance Assistance Resources

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Overview of Compliance Assistance in the United
States

• Compliance Assistance is one tool used to
  address environmental problems. The other tools
  are
• Compliance Monitoring (inspections,
  self-reporting)
• Compliance Incentives (audits)
• Enforcement
• Voluntary, Non-regulatory Programs
• Often used together as integrated strategies to
  solve problems

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Compliance Assistance What is It?

• Activities, tools or technical assistance which
  provide clear and consistent information for two
  key groups
• The regulated community to help them understand
  and meet obligations under environmental laws
• Compliance assistance providers who help the
  regulated community in complying with
  environmental regulations
• Tools include web sites, plain-language guides,
  fact sheets, and training

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Compliance Assistance Providers

• EPA
• State government
• Local government
• Trade associations
• Non-government Organizations (NGOs)
• Academia
• .Working in Partnership

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EPA and its Partners Work Together to

• Develop and deliver assistance resources
• Maintain a repository of information on
  assistance resources
• Consistently measure results of assistance

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Why Do Compliance Assistance?

• Regulated entities need education particularly
  small businesses and local government (over
  80,000 local government units 20 million small
  businesses in U.S.)
• Often, staff is not dedicated to the oversight of
  their environmental obligations
• Environmental requirements continually change
• EPA cannot provide direct on-site assistance to
  more than a fraction of the regulated entities

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What are the Benefits of Providing Compliance
Assistance?

• Prevents violations from occurring
• Simplifies compliance requirements
• Information can be targeted to industry and
  business sectors (EPA has aimed primarily at
  small and medium-sized businesses
• Reaches large audiences (as compared to
  case-by-case approach of enforcement)

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EPA-Sponsored Compliance Assistance Centers

• The Centers are internet websites
• Centers provide comprehensive, easy to understand
  compliance information for a specific industry or
  government sector
• Managed through partnership between governmental
  and nongovernmental groups

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Key Center Facts

• The Centers
• Act as first-stop information source
• Identify the federal environmental regulations
  that apply to sector
• Provide guidance on how to comply with
  regulations
• Identify pollution prevention approaches that can
  save money
• 15 Centers currently operating
• Two new Centers coming on line in 2008/2009

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Development of the Centers Program

• First Centers created in 1996
• U.S. legislature provided initial funding to
  establish a few Centers
• Creating a central Centers Platform saved money
  and allowed new Centers to come on-line more
  efficiently.

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Compliance Assistance Centers

• Services
• Border Center
• Agriculture
• Automotive Service and Repair
• Automotive Recycling
• Health Care
• Paints and Coatings
• Printing
• Transportation
• Education Sector (pending)

• Manufacturing
• Metal Finishing
• Printed Wiring Board
• Construction
• Chemical Manufacturing
• Food processing (pending)
• Government
• Local Government
• Federal Facilities
• Tribes

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Center Management Funding

• Government funding for most Centers is granted
  through competitive process
• 5-year grant to applicant with best project
  proposal for sector specific center
• Over time, gradual reduction in funding for
  individual Centers until a base level of funding
  is reached
• Dollars saved are used to fund new Centers

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Center Management Other revenue sources

• Subscription fees
• Content development for commercial websites
• Training
• Web-based advertisement

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Center Management Staffing

• Centers are staffed by grantees/ contractors
• EPA provides support and oversight primarily with
  Grant Management staff (2-3 people)
• Additional EPA staff available to provide
  technical expertise on as-needed basis
• EPA staff holds quarterly calls and annual
  meetings with Center team

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Center Models

• Most Centers managed by trade associations
  colleges/universities or other nongovernmental
  organizations
• Exceptions are 3 EPA-owned and operated Centers
• Agriculture Center
• FedCenter (for federal agencies)
• Tribal Center

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Agriculture Center Model

• Web-based Center but
• - managed and funded by EPA
• - supported by 2 EPA staff who are located in
  geographic area with many farms

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Evolution of Centers FeaturesFrom Links to
Streaming Videos

• Center features evolving over time
• Virtual Plant Tours
• On-line Training
• Emissions Calculators
• Selected Compliance Environmental News
• Discussion Groups
• On-Line Ask the Expert
• Email Update Service

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Lessons Learned

• Strong enforcement program helps assistance
• Active assistance program helps enforcement
• Use assistance with other tools
• Measure outcomes of assistance

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EPA Compliance Assistance Resources on the
Internet

• www.epa.gov/compliance/assistance
• www.epa.gov/clearinghouse
• www.assistancecenters.net